KUALA LUMPUR: Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong, the world No. 9, who have been struggling to find their rhythm over the last few months, surprised the crowd on Thursday with a win over a fast attacking Maneepong Jongjit-Nipitphon Puangpuapech of Thailand 21-17, 21-18 in the second round of Singapore Open.

Can Thien How and Wee Kiong live up to the expectation? We'll see!

The duo's performance in the international arena had been awful ever since taking over the country’s No. 1 spot from Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong.They've crashed out early in the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold as well as the Indian Open in New Delhi.

KUALA LUMPUR: Some of the back-up shuttlers are in danger of being booted out of the national badminton team.

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will be conducting an open selection trials at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara from Jan 20-24 and all the states have been asked to send their best players to challenge the back-up shuttlers.

Talent search programme chief David Wee said the trials would be closely monitored by the national coaches.

“We are trying out this open selection trials for the first time. It is a transparent way of selecting the players for the national team and we hope that the best will get in. If a state player can beat the national back-up player, he or she will be invited to join the national team and the back-up player will be dropped,” said David.